Machine for soldering or uniting seams of sheet-metal cans.



' 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Feb. la, |902.

(Application led Sept. 10, 1.900.)v

MACHINE FUR SULDEBING 0B UNITING SEMIS 0F SHEET METAL GANS.

(No Model'.)

Wl TNESSES Patented Feb.. I8, |902.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'Qua-M:

TR M

, Lnonrou. 4 VMAGHINE FUR SULDERI'NG 0R LINITIM?. SEAIISLOF SHEET METAL CAMS. (Appumion ma sept. 1o'.l 1900.-)

(No. Hod'al.)

. WITNESSES;

f5. mi

Patented Feb. I8, |902.

E; Mmmm.r MAGHINEVF'UVR SOLDERING 0B UNITING SEAMS 0F SHEET METAL CAMS.

(Application Bled Sept. 10, 1900.)

5 Sheets-Shad 3.

(No Model.)

M. UNFN.

` INVENTOR.

2% A TTOARNEK?,

No. 693,803. r Patented Feb, I8, |902.

, NoRTuN. MACHINE FOR SOLDERING OR'UNITING SEAMS 0F SHEET METAL CANS. (App1cation-1ed Sept. 10, 1900.) (N0 MUGL) 5 Sheets-Shut 4.

LWJTNEssEs.- INVENTOR. l

- 4 l l Y si@ ATTORNEKQ' TH: Nomus PETERS cn.. PHnTaLn'Ho wnsnmn'wm n4 c.

No. 693,803. Patented Feb. la, |902.

E. nomou. MAGHINE FOR SULDERING 0R UNITIME SEAMS UF SHEET METAL CAMS.

rAppxieation med slpt.1o. 1900.)

5 Sheets-Shea* 5,

WITNESSES ,.4

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN NORTON, OE MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY. i

MACHINE FOR SOLDERlNG R UNlTlNG SEAiVlS 0F SHEET-METAL CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters vv:Patent No. 698,803, dated February 18, 1902. Application filed September 10, 19.00. Serial No. 29,573. '.No model.)

To all whom t may concern: thus in either case resulting in defective or Be it known that I, EDWIN NORTON,.a citizen imperfect work. of the United States, residing in Maywood, in My invention consists in the means I enithe county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveA ploy for practically overcoming the difficul- 55 invented a new and useful Improvementin ties or objections above indicated, and by Machines for Soldering or Uniting Seams of means ofivhich I am enabled to rapidly and Sheet-Metal Cans, of which the following is a cheaply solder or unite the side seams of specification. sheet-metal cans without the use of additional Thisinvention relatesto machines forunitsolderby simply fusing the Lin coating of 6o Io ing or soldering the seams of sheetmetal the tin-plate and by which I am enabled to cans; and it relates more particularly to imalways form or unite such seams perfectly provements upon the machine shown and de` and with certainty and uniformity-that is to scribed in the pending applicaionof Edwin say, it consists, essentially, in the combina- Norton, Serial No. 720,451, filed June 14:, tion, with the upper' and lower heater-bars 65 15 1899, and in which the seamA is formed orsol- .by which the seam is clamped or embraced dered without the use of orapplication'thereandthe necessary heat imparted thereto to to of any additional solder by simply fusing fuse the tin, of electric heaters, preferably the tin or other soft-metal coating of the tin ,consisting of carbon sticks located in the plate and compressing together and uniting heater-bars, which are made hollow to receive 7o zo lthe folds or parts of the seam orjoint through. lthemand by which the heater-bars are mainthe agency of the tin or soft-metal coating tained at a uniform and proper degree of itself. The machine of this Edwin Norton heat. invention and application results in a inate- It further consists, in combination with rial reduction of the cost of thek cans, as the these parts, of suitable automatic mechanism z5 solder is saved, andalso produces a much forseparating orunclainping the heater-bars, better can, as the ordinary solderin use and thus rendering uniform the period of in the manufacture of tin cans contains lead time the seam of each can is'exposed to the and is more or less objectionable on the inheating or fusing. operation. Y side surface of the seams of the cansinv pre- It further consists inl combining with one 8o 3o serving many food products. In the practiyof the heater-bars, preferably the lower'one, cal operation of machines for soldering' cans a seam-compressing roller, theheater-bar and without the use of additional solder and by roller having a reciprocating or traveling simply fusing the tin-coating of tin plate to movementin respect to each other, so that secure the certainty and reliability of operathe parts or folds of the seam may be com- 35 tion necessary to insure absolutely tight, pressed Without disturbing or removing its strong, and perfect seamsiu every instance, `position from the heater-bar, upon and by so that the cans can safely be relied upon not which its tin coating has been fused, by which to develop leaks, it is very important that means greater certainty and perfection of the the upper and lower heater-bars between seams are secured. o 4o which the seam of the can is clamped or em- It further consists in the combination, with braced should always be kept at a uniform the parts above mentioned, of a device for auand proper degree of heat and the seam eX- tomatically ejecting the can-bodies from the posed thereto a uniform and proper time on heater-bar after the seams thereof have been each and every can, as too low a degree of soldered, united, or formed. 45 heatr or too short exposure will cause an im- It further consistsin the novel construction perfect fusion of the tin coating and imperof parts and devices and in the novel combi- .feet union of the parts, while too high a nations ofpartsand devices herein shownand degree of heat or too long exposure is apt to described, and more particularly specified in occasion scorching or discoloration of the the claims. roo 5o stock or too much flowing of the fused tin and In the accompanying drawings, forming a its escape from the folds of thejoint or seam, part of this lspecification, Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3, a front end View; Fig. 4, a rear end view; Fig. 5, a detail view of a part hereinafter to be described. Fig. 6 is a detail View, in front elevation, showing the can-body ejector or eX- tractor device. tion, partly in vertical section,showing mechanism for actuating the can-body ejector or extractor jaws or iingers. Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section showing the seam heater-bars and the electric heaters therefor, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged front elevation of the heaterbars and the horns or arms upon which they are mounted.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents the frame of the machine. j

13 is the upper heater-bar, and 14 the lower heater-bar, the machine being preferably furnished with two of each, so that two canbodies can be operated upon at the same time. Each of the heater-bars 13 14 corresponds in length to the can-body or to the seam to be soldered and consists of a hollow bar of steel or other metal, the hole or chamber 15 therein being slightly larger in diameter than the electric heater 1G, preferably a carbon stick, contained therein. In each heater-bar the electric heater or carbon stick 16 is held by metal clamps 99 in the caps 17 and 1S, one at each end. The metal cap 17 and its clamp 99 are insulated from the heater-bar by insulation 19, while the other metal cap 18 is in electric contact with the heater-bar, so that the electric current must pass through the electric heaters or carbons 16 from end to end, and thus heat the same and through them the heater-bars 13 14 by radiation. The upper heater-bar 13 is mounted upon or carried by a movable or hinged arm 20, pivoted to the frame at 21, so that it may be moved up and down to clamp or embrace the seam of the canbody between itself and the opposing or lower heater-har 14 and to release the seam or separate the heater-bars after the proper period of heating has elapsed.

The lower heater-bar 14 is mounted upon or carried by a horn or support 22, having a free outer end and small enough in size for the can-body to pass around it. The lower heater-bar 14is provided with alongitudinal groove or channel 23 to receive the folds of the side seam or joint of the can-body, and thus keep the seam to be soldered in proper registry with the contacting portions of the heater-bars 13 14, between which it is cmbraced. The lower heater-bar 14 is also preferably provided with a hardened-steel shoe 24, inserted in the heater-bar'and in which the groove or channel 23 is formed. This shoe prevents wear, and thus insures greater certainty and uniformity of operation of the heater-bars clamping orembracing the seam, and also of the seam-compressing roller 25,

Fig. 7 is a detail side eleva-V which coperates directly with the lower heater-bar and its shoe in compressing firmly and snugly together the folds or parts of the seam after the tin coating thereof has been fused by the heating operation. In this seamcompressing operation the lower heater-bar and the seam-compressing roller have a traveling or reciprocating movement in respect to each other, for which purpose or movement one or the other of these devices-the lower heater-bar or the roller, and preferably the lower heater-bar-is mounted upon a traveling or reciprocating slide 26, adapted to move back and forth on suitable guides 27 on the frame of the machine. As the slide 26 reciprocates, and thus carries the lower heater-bar 14 and its supporting-horn 22 and the can thereon under the roller 25, the folds or parts of the seam orjoint to be united are tightly, rigidly, and firmly compressed together. To prevent the roller 25 from slipping on the seam and insure its proper rolling thereon, the shaft 2S of the roller may be and preferably is furnished with a gear 29, which engages a rack 30 on the slide, and thus insures the rotation of the roller.

31 represents an electric current transformer of any well-known or suitable construction, and 32 a switch device of any wellknown or suitable construction, by which de- Vices the electric current may be transformed and regulated in amount as required, so as to produce and maintain uniformly the required or proper degree of heat in the electric heaters or carbons 16 and in the metal heaterbars 13 14, which are heated thereby.

33 34 are the electric-circuit wires leading from the transformer to the metal caps 17, which are in electric connection with the carbons 16, but insulated from the heater-bars 13 14 and from the frame of the machine. The curreut'passes from the transformer, for example, through the wire 33 to the insulated metal cap 17, thence through the carbon 1G, electrically connected therewith, to the other metal cap 18 at the opposite end of said carbon and which is notinsulated from the frame, thence through the frame to the other uninsulated metal cap 18, thence through the other carbon 16 to the other insulated cap 17, and thence back through the wire 34 to the transformer. As the current required for operation is very low-only a few volts potential-and as the whole frame of the machine is of the same potential, excepting that of the two insulated caps, there is no danger of shock or inconvenience to the workmen in placing the sheet-metal cans in the'machine.

The upper or movable heater-bar 13 and its operating-arm 20, upon which it is secured, are operated or depressed to cause the seam to be clamped or embraced between the two heater-bars 13 14, by means of a handle or lever 35, secured to the rock-shaft 36 on the frame, and the sameare held in this depressed position for the required length of time by a trigger, clutch, or dog 37, which is automat- IOO IIO

. cam 71 on the shaft 42 and suitable connectvss ically tripped or released after the proper interval of heating has elapsed. The dog or trigger 37 is securedto the rock-shaft'36, and when the pair of upper heater-bar hinged arms 20 2O are depressed by the operatinglever 35 the notch 39 on the dog 37 engages a cross-bar 40, connecting the upperheater-barcarrying arms 20 20, and thus holds the same depressed. The rock-shaft 36 is automatically rocked to release the dog and allow the upper heater-arms to be lifted by the springs 41 after the proper interval of time has elapsed for the heating of the seam by means of a ing levers and links 43 44 45. After the tin coating has been fused by the' action of the heater-bars 13 14, the lock or dog 37released, and the heater-bars thus again separated the slide 26, carrying the lower heater-bar, is automatically carried back and forth under the seam-compression roller 25. The slide 2G may be thus reciprocated by any suitable automatic connecting or operating mechanism, the same consisting, preferably, of a crank-wheel 46 on the shaft 47 and connecting link or pitman 48. After the seam of the can-body has thus been passed back and forth under the seam-compressing roller 25 and has been released from the bite or grasp of said roller it is automatically ejected, extracted, or removed from the lower heater-bar 14 and its 1supporting-horn 22 by an ejector or eX- tractor device 49, preferably consistingof a pair of hinged movable or pivoted jaws or fingers hinged at 50 to a reciprocating slide or carriage 51, which reciprocates on suitable guides 52 on the frame of the machine. The jaws or ingers 49 engage the rear end ofthe can-body, fitting in longitudinal grooves 53 at the sides of the horn22. The jaws or fingers 49 are closed toward each other by springs 54, and they are automatically opened to permit the can-body to be conveniently inserted over the horn by stationary cams 55 on the frame of the machine, which engage vertically-moving pins 56 on the slide 51. The ejector-slide 5l may be automatically reciprocated, as required, by any suitable connecting mechanism, the s'ame consisting, preferably, of a crank-wheel 59 on the shaft 60 and a suitable connecting-link 6l and lever 62. The ngers 49 are adjustably connected to the slide 51 through the adjustable bar 63.

In'operation after the can-bodyis inserted on the horn 22 the handle 35 is depressed, thus clamping the heaterbars together through the dog 37 and operating the lever 90, which operates the clutch 91 and sets shaft 42 to revolving, said shaft carrying the cam. 71. When cam 71 makes one revolution, it operates the dog 37 through the lever 43 and connecting parts, and thus separates the heater-bars. At the same time the cam 71, through bent lever or rock-shaft 43 and its arm 72, operates clutch 93 and allowsv shaft 47 to revolve, and thus reciprocate the slide 26, on which the lower horn 22 is mounted. The roller-pin 94 on the crank-wheel 4G also releases lever-'arm 95, so that it is pulled down by spring 96, thus engaging it with the lifting-arm 97, ready to operate the same. When the crank--wheel 46 makes a revolution and returns the horn-slide 2G to its required position, the roller-pin 94 rengages the lever-arm 95 and raises the lifting-arm 97 and operates the clutch 98, which allows the shaft to revolve and which shaft, through crank-wheel 59, link 6l, and lever 62, operates the ejector.

I claim- 1. In a machine for uniting together the parts or folds of a seam or joint of tin-plate, or other sheet metal having a soft fusible metal coating, the combination with a pair of heater-bars between which the parts of the seam to be united may be clamped or embraced, and a pair of electric heaters for heating said bars, whereby the proper extent and degree of heat may be applied for forming perfect joints with certainty and uniformity and without injuring the stock, substantially as specied.

2. The combination of a pair of hollow heater-barsk adapted to embrace the parts of a metal seam between them, and a pair of electric heaters or carbons inside said heaterbars, whereby the proper extent and degree of heat may-be applied for forming perfect joints with certainty and uniformity I and without injuring the stock, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a pair of hollow heater-bars adapted to embrace the parts of a metal seam between them, a `pair of electric heaters or carbons inside said heaterbars, whereby the proper extent and degree of heat may be applied for forming perfect joints with certainty and uniformity and without injuring the stock, and a seam-compressing roller, substantially as specified.

- 4. The combination with a pair of hollow heater-bars adapted to embrace the parts of a metal seam between them, a pair of electric heaters or carbons inside said heaterbars, a seam-compressing roller, one of said heater-bars and said roller having a reciprocating motion in respect to each other, substantially as specified.'

5. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar carried by a reciprocating slide, electric heaters inside said heater-bars, and a seam-compressing roller, substantially as specified. l

6. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn over which a can-body may be passed, electric heaters inside the heater-bars, means for holding the heater-bars in contact with the seam and means for automatically releasing or separat ing the heater-bars to secure uniformity of the heating or fusing operation, substantially as specified.

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7. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, means for closing the upper heater-bar upon the seam and automatically releasing or separating the saine from Contact therewith, substantially as specified.`

S. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, means for closing the upper heater-bar upon the seam and automatically releasing or separating the same from contact therewith, and aseam-compressing roller cooperating with the lower heater-bar, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on ahorn, means foi'closing the upper heater-bar upon the seam and automatically releasing or separating` the same from contact therewith, and electric heaters inside said heater-bars, substantially as specified.

l0. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, means for closing the upper heater-bar upon the seam and automatically releasing or separating the same from contact therewith, electric heaters inside said heater-bars, and a seam-coin pressing roller cooperating with the lower heaterbar, substantially as specified.

ll. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, means forclosing the upper heater-bar upon the seam and automatically releasing or separating the same from contact therewith, electric heaters inside said heater-bars, a seain-compressing roller cooperating with the lower heater-bar, and a can-body ejector or extractor, substantially as specified.

l2. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, and a seamcompressing rollei' cooperating with the lower heater-bar, substantially as specilied.

13. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, a reciprocating slide carrying the horn, and a seam-compressing roller, substantially as specified.

14. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a lnovable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, a seam-coinpressing roller cooperating with the lower heater-bar, and a can-body ejector, substaiitially as specified.

l5. The combination with an upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, a reciprocating slide carrying the horn, a seam-coin press- -ing roller, and a can-body ejector, substantially as speeiiied.

16. The combination with au upper heaterbar mounted on a movable arm, of a lower heater-bar mounted on a horn, a reciprocating slide carryingr the horn, a seam-compressing roller, a can-body ejector, and mechanism for automatically operating said parts, substantially as specified.

17. The coinbnation with a pair of heaterbars, of a pair of electric heaters inside said heater-bars, whereby the proper extent and degree of heat may be applied for foi-ming perfect joints with certainty and uniformity and without injuring the stock, and means for compressing the folds or parts of the seam after the tin coating thereof has been fused, substantially as specified.

1S. The combination with a pair of heaterbars, of a pair of electric heaters inside said heater-bars, whereby the proper extent and degree of heat may be applied for forming perfect joints with certainty and uniformity and without injuring the stock, means for compressing the folds or parts of the seam after the tin coating thereof has been fused, and a device for automatically ejecting the can-bodies, substantially as specied.

19. The combination with a pair of heaterbars, of a pair of electric heaters inside said bais, and means for automatically releasing or separating the heater-bars, substantially as specified.

20. The combination with a pair of heaterbars, of a pair of electric heaters inside said bars, means for automatically releasing or separating the heater-bars, and a seam-coinpressing roller, substantially as specified.

2l. The combination with a pair of hollow heater-bars, of a pair of electric-heater carbons inside said bars, and metal caps electrically connected to said carbons at each end, one of said caps being insulated from said heater-bar and the other not, substantially as specified.

22. The combination with a pair of hollow heater-bars, electric-heater cai-bons inside said bars, a seam-compressing roller, and a can-body ejector, means for automatically releasing or separating the upper heater-bar from the lower heater-bar, means for automatically reciprocating the lower heater-bar, and means for automatically operating the can-body ejector, substantially as specified.

23. The combination with a pair of heaterbars adapted to embrace the parts of a metal seam between them, and an electric heater or carbon inside one of said bars, whereby the proper extent and degree of heat may be applied for forming perfect joints with certainty and uniformity and without injuring the stock, substantially as specified.

24. The combination with a pair of heaterbars adapted to embrace the parts of a metal seam between them, and means for automatically releasing or separating the heater-bars to secure uniformity of the heating or fusing operation, substantially as specified.

EDVIN NORTON. lfVitnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EDMUND AnoocK.

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